How to implement geriatric co-management in your hospital? Insights from the G-COACH feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Geriatric co-management is advocated to manage frail patients in the hospital, but there is no guidance on how to implement such programmes in practice. This paper reports our experiences with implementing the 'Geriatric CO-mAnagement for Cardiology patients in the Hospital' (G-COACH) programme. We investigated if G-COACH was feasible to perform after the initial adoption, investigated how well the implementation strategy was able to achieve the implementation targets, determined how patients experienced receiving G-COACH, and determined how healthcare professionals experienced the implementation of G-COACH. METHODS: A feasibility study of the G-COACH programme was performed using a one-group experimental study design. G-COACH was previously implemented on two cardiac care units. Patients and healthcare professionals participating in the G-COACH programme were recruited for this evaluation. The feasibility of the programme was investigated by observing the reach, fidelity and dose using registrations in the electronic patient record and by interviewing patients. The success of the implementation reaching its targets was evaluated using a survey that was completed by 48 healthcare professionals. The experiences of 111 patients were recorded during structured survey interviews. The experiences of healthcare professionals with the implementation process was recorded during 6 semi-structured interviews and 4 focus groups discussions (n = 27). RESULTS: The programme reached 91% in a sample of 151 patients with a mean age of 84 years. There was a high fidelity for the major components of the programme: documentation of geriatric risks (98%), co-management by specialist geriatrics nurse (95%), early rehabilitation (80%), and early discharge planning (74%), except for co-management by the geriatrician (32%). Both patients and healthcare professionals rated G-COACH as acceptable (95 and 94%) and feasible (96 and 74%). The healthcare professionals experienced staffing, competing roles and tasks of the geriatrics nurse and leadership support as important determinants for implementation. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation strategy resulted in the successful initiation of the G-COACH programme. G-COACH was perceived as acceptable and feasible. Fidelity was influenced by context factors. Further investigation of the sustainability of the programme is needed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN22096382 (21/05/2020).

Risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease and death in patients aged 70 and over: a retrospective observational cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in rapid reorganisations of hospital care. In our hospital, the geriatrics team introduced the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) on the non-ICU COVID-19 units during these reorganisations. A retrospective analysis was performed to investigate the CFS as a risk factor for severe COVID-19 disease and in-hospital death in older patients with COVID-19. METHODS: In patients aged ≥70 years, an online geriatric assessment questionnaire was launched, from which the CFS was scored by the geriatrics team. Additional clinical data were collected from the electronic medical records. Risk factors related to ageing, such as the CFS, age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index, living situation and cognitive decline, were examined alongside frequently reported risk factors in the general population. Outcomes were in-hospital death (primary outcome) and oxygen need of ≥6 litres and early warning score ≥7, as parameters for severe disease (secondary outcomes). Baseline characteristics were described with descriptive statistics. Associations were analysed with uni- and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: One hundred and five patients were included, median age 82 years. CFS scores were 1-4 in 43, 5-6 in 45, and 7-9 in 17 patients. In multivariable analysis, CFS and cognitive decline were the only risk factors that were independently associated with in-hospital mortality. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, presence of respiratory symptoms on admission and male gender showed and independent association with severe disease. CONCLUSION: A retrospective analysis shows that CFS and cognitive decline have added value for predicting in-hospital mortality in older patients with COVID-19 disease.

Motion Sensor-Based Detection of Outlier Days Supporting Continuous Health Assessment for Single Older Adults.

The aging population has resulted in interest in remote monitoring of elderly individuals' health and well being. This paper describes a simple unsupervised monitoring system that can automatically detect if an elderly individual's pattern of presence deviates substantially from the recent past. The proposed system uses a small set of low-cost motion sensors and analyzes the produced data to establish an individual's typical presence pattern. Then, the algorithm uses a distance function to determine whether the individual's observed presence for each day significantly deviates from their typical pattern. Empirically, the algorithm is validated on both synthetic data and data collected by installing our system in the residences of three older individuals. In the real-world setting, the system detected, respectively, five, four, and one deviating days in the three locations. The deviating days detected by the system could result from a health issue that requires attention. The information from the system can aid caregivers in assessing the subject's health status and allows for a targeted intervention. Although the system can be refined, we show that otherwise hidden but relevant events (e.g., fall incident and irregular sleep patterns) are detected and reported to the caregiver.

Geriatric co-management for cardiology patients in the hospital: A quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Older patients admitted to cardiac care units often suffer functional decline. We evaluated whether a nurse-led geriatric co-management program leads to better functional status at hospital discharge. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental before-and-after study was performed between September 2016 and December 2018, with the main endpoint at hospital discharge and follow-up at 6 months. SETTING: Two cardiac care units of the University Hospitals Leuven. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and fifty-one intervention and 158 control patients aged 75 years or older admitted for acute cardiovascular disease or transcatheter aortic valve implantation. INTERVENTION: A nurse from the geriatrics department performed a comprehensive geriatric assessment within 24 h of admission. The cardiac care team and geriatrics nurse drafted an interdisciplinary care plan, focusing on early rehabilitation, discharge planning, promoting physical activity, and preventing geriatric syndromes. The geriatrics nurse provided daily follow-up and coached the cardiac team. A geriatrician co-managed patients with complications. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was functional status measured using the Katz Index for independence in activities of daily living (ADL; one-point difference was considered clinically relevant). Secondary outcomes included the incidence of ADL decline and complications, length of stay, unplanned readmissions, survival, and quality of life. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 85 years. Intervention patients had better functional status at hospital discharge (8.9, 95% CI = 8.7-9.3 versus 9.5, 95% CI = 9.2-9.9; p = 0.019) and experienced 18% less functional decline during hospitalization (25% vs. 43%, p = 0.006). The intervention group experienced significantly fewer cases of delirium and obstipation during hospitalization, and significantly fewer nosocomial infections. At 6-month follow-up, patients had significantly better functional status and quality of life. There were no differences regarding length of stay, readmissions, or survival. CONCLUSION: This first nurse-led geriatric co-management program for frail patients on cardiac care units was not effective in improving functional status, but significantly improved secondary outcomes.

Structure and processes of emergency observation units with a geriatric focus: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Combining observation principles and geriatric care concepts is considered a promising strategy for risk-stratification of older patients with emergency care needs. We aimed to map the structure and processes of emergency observation units (EOUs) with a geriatric focus and explore to what extent the comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) approach was implemented in EOUs. METHODS: The revised scoping methodology framework of Arksey and O'Malley was applied. Manuscripts reporting on dedicated areas within hospitals for observation of older patients with emergency care needs were eligible for inclusion. Electronic database searches were performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL in combination with backward snowballing. Two researchers conducted data charting independently. Data-charting forms were developed and iteratively refined. Data inconsistencies were judged by a third researcher or discussed in the research team. Quality assessment was conducted with the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies. RESULTS: Sixteen quantitative studies were included reporting on fifteen EOUs in seven countries across three continents. These units were located in the ED, immediately next to the ED or remote from the ED (i.e. hospital-based). All studies reported that staffing consisted of at least three healthcare professions. Observation duration varied between 4 and 72 h. Most studies focused on medical and functional assessment. Four studies reported to assess a patients' medical, functional, cognitive and social capabilities. If deemed necessary, post-discharge follow-up (e.g. community/primary care services and/or outpatient clinics) was provided in eleven studies. CONCLUSION: This scoping review documented that the structure and processes of EOUs with a geriatric focus are very heterogeneous and rarely cover all elements of CGA. Further research is necessary to determine how complex care principles of 'observation medicine' and 'CGA' can ideally be merged and successfully implemented in clinical care.

Old and New Geriatric Screening Tools in a Belgian Emergency Department: A Diagnostic Accuracy Study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of the Identification of Seniors at Risk, the Flemish version of Triage Risk Screening Tool, and the interRAI Emergency Department Screener for predicting prolonged emergency department (ED) length of stay, hospitalization (following index ED stay), and unplanned ED readmission at 30 and 90 days among older (aged ≥70 years) community-dwelling adults admitted to the ED. DESIGN: Single-center, prospective, observation study. SETTING: ED with embedded observation unit in University Hospitals Leuven (Belgium). PARTICIPANTS: A total of 794 patients (median age = 80 years; 55% female) were included. MEASUREMENTS: Study nurses collected data using semistructured interviews and patient record review during ED admission. Outcome data were collected with patient record review. RESULTS: Hospitalization (following index ED stay) and unplanned ED readmission at 30 and 90 days occurred in 67% (527/787) of patients and in 12.2% (93/761) and 22.1% (168/761) of patients, respectively. For all outcomes at cutoff 2, the three screening tools had moderate to high sensitivity (range = 0.71-0.90) combined with (very) low specificity (range = 0.14-0.32) and low accuracy (range = 0.21-0.67). At all cutoffs, likelihood ratios and interval likelihood ratios had no or small impact (range = 0.46-3.95; zero was not included) on the posttest probability of the outcomes. For all outcomes, area under the receiver operating characteristics curve varied in the range of 0.49 to 0.62. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic characteristics of all screening tools were comparable. None of the tools accurately predicted the outcomes as a stand-alone index. Future studies should explore the clinical effectiveness and implementation aspects of ED-specific minimum geriatric assessment and intervention strategies. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:1454-1461, 2020.

Predicting hospitalisation-associated functional decline in older patients admitted to a cardiac care unit with cardiovascular disease: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Up to one in three of older patients who are hospitalised develop functional decline, which is associated with sustained disability, institutionalisation and death. This study developed and validated a clinical prediction model that identifies patients who are at risk for functional decline during hospitalisation. The predictive value of the model was compared against three models that were developed for patients admitted to a general medical ward. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was performed on two cardiac care units between September 2016 and June 2017. Patients aged 75 years or older were recruited on admission if they were admitted for non-surgical treatment of an acute cardiovascular disease. Hospitalisation-associated functional decline was defined as any decrease on the Katz Index of Activities of Daily Living between hospital admission and discharge. Predictors were selected based on a review of the literature and a prediction score chart was developed based on a multivariate logistic regression model. RESULTS: A total of 189 patients were recruited and 33% developed functional decline during hospitalisation. A score chart was developed with five predictors that were measured on hospital admission: mobility impairment = 9 points, cognitive impairment = 7 points, loss of appetite = 6 points, depressive symptoms = 5 points, use of physical restraints or having an indwelling urinary catheter = 5 points. The score chart of the developed model demonstrated good calibration and discriminated adequately (C-index = 0.75, 95% CI (0.68-0.83) and better between patients with and without functional decline (chi2 = 12.8, p = 0.005) than the three previously developed models (range of C-index = 0.65-0.68). CONCLUSION: Functional decline is a prevalent complication and can be adequately predicted on hospital admission. A score chart can be used in clinical practice to identify patients who could benefit from preventive interventions. Independent external validation is needed.

Unplanned readmission prevention by a geriatric emergency network for transitional care (URGENT): a prospective before-after study.

BACKGROUND: URGENT is a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) based nurse-led care model in the emergency department (ED) with geriatric follow-up after ED discharge aiming to prevent unplanned ED readmissions. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study (sequential design with two cohorts) was conducted in the ED of University Hospitals Leuven (Belgium). Dutch-speaking, community-dwelling ED patients aged 70 years or older were eligible for enrolment. Patients in the control cohort received usual care. Patient in the intervention cohort received the URGENT care model. A geriatric emergency nurse conducted CGA and interdisciplinary care planning among older patients identified as at risk for adverse events (e.g. unplanned ED readmission, functional decline) with the interRAI ED Screener© and clinical judgement of ED staff. Case manager follow-up was offered to at risk patients without hospitalization after index ED visit. For inpatients, geriatric follow-up was guaranteed on an acute geriatric ward or by the inpatient geriatric consultation team on a non-geriatric ward if considered necessary. Primary outcome was unplanned 90-day ED readmission. Secondary outcomes were ED length of stay (LOS), hospitalization rate, in-hospital LOS, 90-day higher level of care, 90-day functional decline and 90-day post-hospitalization mortality. RESULTS: Almost half of intervention patients (404/886 = 45.6%) were categorized at risk. These received on average seven advices. Adherence rate to advices on the ED, during hospitalization and in community care was 86.1, 74.6 and 34.1%, respectively. One out of four at risk patients without hospitalization after index ED visit accepted case manager follow-up. Unplanned ED readmission occurred in 170 of 768 (22.1%) control patients and in 205 of 857 (23.9%) intervention patients (p = .11). The intervention group had shorter ED LOS (12.7 h versus 19.1 h in the control group; p < .001), but higher rate of hospitalization (70.0% versus 67.0% in the control group; p = .003). CONCLUSIONS: The URGENT care model shortened ED LOS and increased the hospitalization rate, but did not prevent unplanned ED readmissions. A geriatric emergency nurse could improve in-hospital patient management, but failed to introduce substantial out-hospital case-management. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The protocol of this study was registered retrospectively with ISRCTN ( ISRCTN91449949 ; registered 20 June 2017).

Geriatric CO-mAnagement for Cardiology patients in the Hospital (G-COACH): study protocol of a prospective before-after effectiveness-implementation study.

INTRODUCTION: Although the majority of older patients admitted to a cardiology unit present with at least one geriatric syndrome, guidelines on managing heart disease often do not consider the complex needs of frail older patients. Geriatric co-management has demonstrated potential to improve functional status, and reduce complications and length of stay, but evidence on the effectiveness in cardiology patients is lacking. This study aims to determine if geriatric co-management is superior to usual care in preventing functional decline, complications, mortality, readmission rates, reducing length of stay and improving quality of life in older patients admitted for acute heart disease or for transcatheter aortic valve implantation, and to identify determinants of success for geriatric co-management in this population. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This prospective quasi-experimental before-and-after study will be performed on two cardiology units of the University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium in patients aged ≥75 years. In the precohort (n=227), usual care will be documented. A multitude of implementation strategies will be applied to allow for successful implementation of the model. Patients in the after cohort (n=227) will undergo a comprehensive geriatric assessment within 24 hours of admission to stratify them into one of three groups based on their baseline risk for developing functional decline: low-risk patients receive proactive consultation, high-risk patients will be co-managed by the geriatric nurse to prevent complications and patients with acute geriatric problems will receive an additional medication review and co-management by the geriatrician. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee UZ Leuven/KU Leuven (S58296). Written voluntary (proxy-)informed consent will be obtained from all participants at the start of the study. Dissemination of results will be through articles in scientific and professional journals both in English and Dutch and by conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02890927.

Unplanned Readmission prevention by Geriatric Emergency Network for Transitional care (URGENT): protocol of a prospective single centre quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: International guidelines recommend adapting the classic emergency department (ED) management model to the needs of older adults in order to ameliorate post-ED outcomes among this vulnerable group. To improve the care for older ED patients and especially prevent unplanned ED readmissions, the URGENT care model was developed. METHODS: The URGENT care model is a nurse-led, comprehensive geriatric assessment based care model in the ED with geriatric follow-up after ED discharge. A prospective single centre quasi-experimental study (sequential design with two cohorts) is used to evaluate its effectiveness on unplanned ED readmission compared to usual ED care. Secondary outcome measures are hospitalization rate, ED length of stay, in-hospital length of stay, higher level of care, functional decline and mortality. DISCUSSION: URGENT builds on previous research with adaptations tailored to the local context and addresses the needs of older patients in the ED with a special focus on transition of care. Although the selected approaches have been tested in other settings, evidence on this type of innovative care models in the ED setting is inconclusive. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study protocol is registered retrospectively with ISRCTN ( ISRCTN91449949 ).

Does the get up and go test improve predictive accuracy of the Triage Risk Screening Tool or Rowland questionnaire in older patients admitted to the emergency department?

OBJECTIVES: To assess the diagnostic characteristics of the get up and go test (GUGT) as a stand-alone test and in combination with the Flemish Triage Risk Screening Tool (fTRST) and Rowland questionnaire. One aim was to determine whether the diagnostic accuracy of these instruments could be improved for predicting unplanned emergency department (ED) readmission following ED discharge. METHODS: We carried out a prospective cohort study at the ED of the University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium. All patients aged at least 75 years (n=380) completed fTRST, Rowland, and GUGT testing at the index ED admission. Diagnostic characteristics for unplanned ED readmission were determined for hospitalized and discharged patients 1 and 3 months after the index ED visit. RESULTS: In both hospitalized and discharged patients, fTRST and Rowland (cut-off ≥2) had good to excellent sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) but low to moderate specificity and accuracy; GUGT had low sensitivity and good to excellent NPV and specificity. The combined fTRST/GUGT or Rowland/GUGT had moderate to excellent NPV (56.3-94.3%). The combined fTRST (cut-off ≥2)/GUGT had low sensitivity and moderate to excellent specificity. Sensitivity of the combined Rowland (cut-off ≥4)/GUGT was good at the 1-month follow-up and moderate at the 3-month follow-up for hospitalized patients; it was low for discharged patients. Specificity was low for hospitalized patients and good for discharged patients. CONCLUSION: Neither the objective measure of mobility (GUGT) nor the combined fTRST/GUGT or Rowland/GUGT improved the results. Our analysis shows that the predictive accuracy of the stand-alone, self-reported screening instruments fTRST and Rowland (cut-off=2) is still good. This study also confirmed their previously known limitations.

Geriatric support in the emergency department: a national survey in Belgium.

BACKGROUND: Older people in the emergency department (ED) represent a growing population and increasing proportion of the workload in the ED. This study investigated the support for frail older people in the ED, by exploring the collaboration between the geriatric services (GS) and the EDs in Belgian hospitals. METHODS: An electronic cross-sectional survey in all Belgian hospitals with an ED (n = 100) about care aspects, collaboration, education and infrastructure for older patients in the ED was collected. Descriptive analyses were performed at national level. RESULTS: Forty-nine of 100 surveys were completed by the GS. The heads of the ED returned only 12 incomplete questionnaires and these results are therefore not reported. Twenty-six of the 49 heads of GSs (53%) indicated that there was an agreement, mainly informal, between the geriatric and the emergency department concerning the management of older people on the ED. A geriatrician was available for specific problems, by phone or in person, in 96% of the EDs during daytime on weekdays. Almost all responding hospitals (96%) had an inpatient geriatric consultation team, of which 85% was available for specific problems at the ED, by phone or bedside during the daytime on weekdays. Twenty-nine heads of the GSs (59%) reported that older patients were screened at ED admission during the day to identify 'at risk' patients. The results of the screening were used in the context of further treatment (76%), to decide on hospital admission (27%), or to justify admission on a geriatric ward (55%). In the year preceding the survey, 25% of the responding hospitals had organised geriatric training for ED healthcare workers. Thirty-four heads of the GS (69%) felt that the infrastructure of the ED was insufficient to give high-quality care for older persons. CONCLUSION: Collaborations between EDs and GS are emerging in Belgium, but are currently rather limited and not yet sufficiently embedded in the ED care. Exploratory studies are necessary to identify how these collaborations can be improved.

Creación del Currículum Europeo de Medicina de Urgencias y Emergencias Geriátrica: una colaboración entre la European Society for Emergency Medicine (EuSEM) y la European Union of Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS) / The European Curriculum of Geriatric Emergency Medicine: A collaboration between the European

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The impact of frailty on postoperative outcomes in individuals aged 65 and over undergoing elective surgery for colorectal cancer: A systematic review.

Colorectal cancer surgery is frequently performed in the older population. Many older persons have less physiological reserves and are thus more susceptible to adverse postoperative outcomes. Therefore, it seems important to distinguish the fit patients from the more vulnerable or frail. The aim of this review is to examine the evidence regarding the impact of frailty on postoperative outcomes in older patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer. A systematic literature search of Medline Ovid was performed focusing on studies that examined the impact of frailty on postoperative outcomes after colorectal surgery in older people aged ≥65years. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated using the MINORS quality assessment. Five articles, involving four studies and 486 participants in total, were included. Regardless of varying definitions of frailty and postoperative outcomes, the frail patients had less favourable outcomes in all of the studies. Compared to the non-frail group, the frail group had a higher risk of developing moderate to severe postoperative complications, had longer hospital stays, higher readmission rates, and decreased long-term survival rates. The results of this systematic review suggest the importance of assessing frailty in older persons scheduled for colorectal surgery because frailty is associated with a greater risk of postoperative adverse outcomes. We conclude that, although there is no consensus on the definition of frailty, assessing frailty in colorectal oncology seems important to determine operative risks and benefits and to guide perioperative management.

Is preoperative state anxiety a risk factor for postoperative delirium among elderly hip fracture patients?

AIM: To determine if preoperative state anxiety is a risk factor for postoperative delirium in older hip fracture patients. METHODS: A secondary data analysis comprising data from a prospective non-randomized trial including 86 patients with a hip fracture aged 65 years and older was carried out. State anxiety was measured preoperatively using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Delirium and its severity was measured pre- and postoperatively (day 1, 3, 5, 8) by trained research nurses using the Confusion Assessment Method and Delirium Index. RESULTS: A total of 24 patients (27.9%) developed delirium postoperatively. Preoperative state anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) was not associated with postoperative delirium (rb = 0.135, P = 0.353), duration of postoperative delirium (rho = 0.038, P = 0.861) or severity of postoperative delirium (rho = 0.153, P = 0.160). Independent predictors of postoperative delirium were lower MMSE scores (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.60-0.95, P = 0.015), osteosynthesis surgery (OR 3.66, 95% CI 1.02-13.15, P = 0,047) and lowest intraoperative diastolic blood pressure (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.85-0.99, P = 0.031). CONCLUSION: No relationship between state anxiety and postoperative delirium was found, but significant methodological hurdles were observed and discussed providing important groundwork for further research in this area. Further research should focus on reliable measurement of state anxiety in cognitively impaired older populations. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 948-955.

[The development and validation of a standardised transfer sheet for care transitions between residential and acute care settings in Leuven, Belgium]. / De ontwikkeling en validering van een transferdocument voor de zorgoverdracht tussen de residentiële en de acute zorgsector: een voorbeeld uit de regio Leuven, Vlaams Brabant.

BACKGROUND: When elderly patients are transferred from a residential to an acute care setting, important information regarding their health care can be lost. Over the past years, the concept of advance care planning has also been given a more prominent place in the care for the elderly. However it remains a challenge to communicate the results achieved by this process when patients are referred to another health care setting. Developing a sound method for transferring information is a key element in the transitional care for the elderly patient. OBJECTIVES: In collaboration with the residential and acute care settings in Leuven, Flemish Brabant, Belgium this study aimed to develop a validated, standardized transfer-sheet. METHODS: After a literature search a topic list was generated to be used as the basis for a Delphi-procedure in which 16 experts from both the acute and the residential care settings participated. The transfer-sheet was then evaluated for content validity by an expert-panel (n = 9) from the acute and residential care settings. Face validity was assessed by two nurses and two doctors, randomly selected from the above settings. RESULTS: All 44 subthemes in the transfer-sheet showed excellent content validity. The scale content validity universal agreement (S CVIUA) for the entire transfer-sheet was 0.68. The average scale content validity (S CVIAve) was 0.96. After a second and final Delphi-round a final transfer-sheet was constructed consisting of 8 themes and 50 sub-themes. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results standardized transfer-sheet was developed and validated.

Characteristics of older adults admitted to the emergency department (ED) and their risk factors for ED readmission based on comprehensive geriatric assessment: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Patients aged 75 years and older represent 12% of the overall emergency department (ED) population, and this proportion will increase over the next decades. Many of the discharged patients suffer an unplanned readmission in the immediate and midterm post-discharge period, suggesting under recognition of psychosocial, cognitive and medical problems. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics of older patients admitted and discharged from the ED and to determine independent predictors for ED readmission 1 month and 3 months after ED discharge based on comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA). METHODS: Cohort study in a Belgian university hospital. A CGA, including demographic and medical data (e.g. reason for admission, comorbidity, number of medications), functional (e.g. activities of daily living, falls), mental (i.e. cognition, dementia, delirium), and nutritional status, and pain, was performed in 442 ED patients aged 75 years or older. RESULTS: Patients discharged from the ED (n = 117, 26.5%) were significantly less dependent for ADL, mobility, shopping and finances compared with hospitalised patients. Hospitalised patients (n = 325, 73.5%) were significantly more at risk for having nutritional problems, had a higher comorbidity index, and a lower cognitive status compared with those discharged. Ninety-seven patients (82.9%) were discharged home from the ED. Of the latter, 18 (18.6%) and 28 patients (28.9%) suffered an ED readmission within 1 and 3 months, respectively. At one month post-discharge, nursing care at home, meals on wheels, and risk for depression; and at 3 months post-discharge previous hospitalisation in the last 3 months, physiotherapy and meals on wheels were found to be independent predictors for ED readmission, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study observed a geriatric risk profile in older adults at the ED and a high readmission rate of those discharged, and suggests the potential value of CGA in identifying older patients at high risk for ED readmission.

Attitudes and perceptions of adults of 60 years and older towards in-home monitoring of the activities of daily living with contactless sensors: an explorative study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Contactless monitoring is increasingly used to enhance qualitative and cost-effective care for older persons. Succesful integration of this technology in older peoples' daily lives, depends on their acceptance of these systems. The primary purpose was to explore attitudes and perceptions of adults of 60 years and older towards contactless monitoring of the activities of daily living. DESIGN, PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A questionnaire was developed, validated and used in a cross-sectional survey with a convenience sample (n=245). The results were presented using descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses to explore variables associated with willingness to install the technology. RESULTS: Descriptive statistics indicate that adults of 60 years and older find contactless monitoring useful for various purposes (e.g. to remain living at home longer, safely and independently; for timely detection of emergency situations and gradually emerging health problems). They agree to share collected information with professional caregivers and own access to the data is valued. Respondents like to take part in diverse decisions about the monitoring (e.g. about the rooms in which it is installed, the type of sensors used and access of third parties to collected information). However, several concerns were expressed related to the functioning and financing of contactless monitoring. Bivariate analyses show that both socio-demographic factors (e.g. age, receiving professional home care) and attitudes and perceptions towards contactless monitoring (e.g. on its potential usefulness, on the availability of collected information, on the functional requirements and financial costs of the system and on the use of video cameras) can promote or impede acceptance of the technology. CONCLUSIONS: This explorative study indicates that older adults are willing to incorporate contactless monitoring in later life or when their health declines. They agree to share collected information with professional caregivers and clearly demand for participation in decisions about the technology. Various concerns and requirements provide implications for clinical practice and future research. Thereby, technology developpers, policy makers and professional caregivers can promote the implementation of contactless monitoring in the care for older adults.